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Author Robertson, Geoffrey, author

Title Who owns history? : Elgin's loot and the case for returning plundered treasure / Geoffrey Robertson
Published London : Biteback Publishing, 2019

Copies

Location Call no. Vol. Availability
 MELB  363.69 Rob/Woh 2019  AVAILABLE
Description xxvi, 273 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 25 cm
Contents Whose history is it? -- The glory that was Greece -- Elgin : thief or saviour? -- In the keeping of the British Museum -- The case for re-unification -- International law to the rescue? -- Museums of blood -- Towards justice
Summary "The biggest question in the world of art and culture concerns the return of property taken without consent. Throughout history, conquerors or colonial masters have taken artefacts from subjugated peoples, who now want them returned from museums and private collections in Europe and the USA. The controversy rages on over the Elgin Marbles, and has been given immediacy by figures such as France's President Macron, who says he will order French museums to return hundreds of artworks acquired by force or fraud in Africa, and by British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has pledged that a Labour government would return the Elgin Marbles to Greece. Elsewhere, there is a debate in Belgium about whether the Africa Museum, newly opened with 120,000 items acquired mainly by armed forces in the Congo, should close. Although there is an international convention dated 1970 that deals with the restoration of artefacts stolen since that time, there is no agreement on the rules of law or ethics which should govern the fate of objects forcefully or lawlessly acquired in previous centuries. Who Owns History? delves into the crucial debate over the Elgin Marbles, but also offers a system for the return of cultural property based on human rights law principles that are being developed by the courts. It is not a legal text, but rather an examination of how the past can be experienced by everyone, as well as by the people of the country of origin." -- Provided by publisher
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Subject Cultural property -- Repatriation
Cultural property -- Protection -- Law and legislation
Historic preservation
Elgin marbles
ISBN 178590521X
9781785905216